Megan Arroll is currently the Director of Research for The Optimum Health Clinic which provides interventions for individuals with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) and related disorders. Within her role of Visiting Research Fellow at UEL, Megan is working within the Chronic Illness Research Team on a number of projects including qualitative work investigating the experiences of those with Mal de Debarquement Syndrome, quantitative studies unraveling the complex issue of fatigue in ME/CFS and theoretical work on the cognitive impairments in medically unexplained disorders. Megan completed her PhD at the University of Surrey under the supervision of Dr Victoria Senior and Professor Jane Ogden within the area of health psychology. Megan’s masters degree is in Research Methods and Psychological Assessment and was also granted by the University of Surrey.

Megan’s responsibilities within the Field of Psychology are centred on supervising research projects, including final year BSc students, MSC students and those pursuing a doctorate in counselling psychology. She is also involved in the level–2 module “The Psychology of Physical Illnesses”, run by Professor Christine Dancey and Elizabeth Attree.

• BSc Psychology
• MSc Psychology
• Professional Doctorate in Counselling Psychology

• PY2126: Psychology of Physical Illness

2010–present

1. Exploring the lived experiences of individuals with Mal de Debarquement Syndrome (MdDS): an Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis, with Professor Christine Dancey.
2. Qualitative investigation of everyday worries in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/Myalgic Encephalomyelitis, with Professor Christine Dancey.
3. An investigation of cognitive mechanisms underlying neuropsychological dysfunction in people with chronic illness with, Professor Christine Dancey.

2009–present

1. Qualitative investigation into lecturers’ perceptions of the advantages and disadvantages of using Second Life as a teaching environment, with Rose Heaney.
2. Clinician and client perspectivesof the use of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy in a psychiatric hospital in Tanzania: an Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis, with Dr Lydia Stone.
3. A qualitative investigation of the therapeutic group for substance users in Tanzania: the experience of SAADA (Small Acts Against Drug Abuse), with Dr Lydia Stone.

Peer-reviewed Journal Articles

1. Arroll, M.A., & Baron, E. (in press). The influence of the xenotropic murine leukaemia virus-related virus (XMRV) research findings on the thoughts and feelings of people living with chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis: an interpretative phenomenological analysis. Qualitative Research in Psychology.
2. Howard, A., & Arroll, M.A. (in press). The application of integral medicine in the treatment of myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS). Journal of Integral Theory and Practice.
3. Dancey, C.P., Attree, E.A., Painter, J., Arroll, M., Pawson, C., & McLean, G. (2011). Real benefits of a Second Life: development and evaluation of a virtual psychology conference centre and tutorial rooms. Psychology Learning & Teaching. 10(2), 107–117. doi:10.2304/plat.2011.10.2.107
4. Arroll, M., & Senior, V. (2008). Chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis: an interpretative phenomenological analysis. Psychology and Health, 23, 443–458. doi:10.1080/14768320701246469

Non-peer-reviewed Journal Articles

1. Arroll, M., & Senior, V. (2009). Symptom typology and sub-grouping in chronic fatigue syndrome. Bulletin of the International Association of CFS/ME, 17(2), 39–52.

Conference Proceedings

1. Heaney, R., & Arroll, M.A. (2011). A qualitative evaluation of academic staff’s perceptions of Second Life® as a teaching tool. Paper presented at the 10th European Conference on e-Learning, Brighton, UK.
2. Heaney, R., & Arroll, M.A. (2010). Staff perceptions of Second Life®. Paper presented at the Association for Learning Technology Conference. “Into something rich and strange” — making sense of the sea-change, Nottingham, UK.

Poster Sessions

1. Arroll, M., Dancey, C.P., & Attree, E.A. (2010, 2 September). Daily worries in chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis (CFS/ME): an interpretative phenomenological analysis. Poster session presented at the 24th European Health Psychology Society conference, Cluj-Napoca, Romania.

• Member of the Royal Society of Medicine
• Fellow of the Higher Education Academy

Chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis: an interpretative phenomenological analysis

Arroll, M., & Senior, V.

Chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis (CFS/ME) is a condition of unknown aetiology that consists of symptoms such as fatigue, muscle and joint pain, gastric problems and a range of neurological disturbances. Due to the fact that these symptoms are complaints that most individuals will experience to a varying degree, it seems pertinent to investigate the processes by which those with CFS/ME conceptualise their symptoms and the experience of reaching a diagnosis. Participants were recruited from local CFS/ME support groups. Eight semi-structured telephone interviews were conducted and transcribed, and the verbatim transcriptions were analysed according to interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA). Six distinct themes were uncovered that illustrated the participants' experience and perception of their symptoms. These included symptomatology and illness course, interference with daily and working life, frequency of symptoms, external information, diagnosis and treatment. The findings were discussed in terms of internal and external cues related to symptom perception and the discovery that the possession of a diagnosis did not necessarily signify the end of the journey.